Across My Hearts Window (Chapter 1)

Last updated Feb 20, 2016

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I was sitting in front of the window near my bed watching the beautiful sunset,ohhh.. the crimson-orange sky lighting up my room like pink fluorescent lights. The whole atmosphere was ethereal..and I felt quite sad when it was slowly fading back into the blue of the sky. I sighed and got up from my chair whilst I stretched a bit while adjusting my clothes…”Come down , I have made your favorite Kachoris !” My mother called. I quickly went downstairs and sat at the table,as I was sitting a wedding card gold and red with fancy designs caught my eye,hmm,I wonder who the new bride in our relations is?I picked up the card and it read aloud ‘Kadambari weds Abhi’ on it, My eyes popped out, My cousin was getting married..and I had no idea!? ” Amma, what is this , Kadamakka is getting married to Abhi?How? After three years of a cloudy relationship, suddenly a wedding card?”

My mom said “What..it is nice no, atleast she is making a good move in her life.”

“Amma, yeah..I am not saying anything about your niece, just asking why all of a sudden..I mean we always knew about their relationship…but they both never took the step of commitment.”

I shrugged, and dived into the kachoris, they were so nice I wished I had the capacity to eat a whole mountain of them, but my stomach was too full. I finished eating and headed back to my room, contemplating on this new change. I stood before the mirror and examined my face, wondering when my day will come, remembering how much was left in my life for that,I snapped out of my imagination, oh puh-leese I am only 16 years old,and I have a lot of time for that..wait whats that? That is Marriage, or maybe just love…..<3 *sigh* . Anyway, I better get ready, 'cause my Dad wants us (me and my mom) to go with him to the temple, for some pooja (worship).

I was rummaging in my mother's cupboard and found a beautiful peach saree, which would totally match with my purple blouse. I ironed it out neatly and wore it quickly and , yes I know how to wear sarees since i was 13, but always thought that only older women wear sarees but my mother said that sarees looked beautiful on everyone. The thing which bothered me was that sarees made some parts of your waist and back visible, and I was oh-so self conscious about that and always put the Pallu (edge of the saree) over my shoulder. My dear mother would say that I was not an old lady and need not cover up so much but I never listened.

My grandma was so surprised that even though I lived in USA I seldom had any American traits in me.. She was always trying to make me wear jeans and tees, but I only wore them in the winter.

I sat in front of the mirror laughing about my Grandmas surprised face when she opened my suitcase and only found skirts and some shirts, my staple home clothes.

I picked up the kajal stick and lined my eyes thickly with the kajal, thinking about how some people used to wonder why I put such striking dark kajal and some of my friends said they can't even figure out how I look without kajal, as I never went anywhere without using it. I just don't care.. I feel something nice in me when my eyes are lined thickly with kajal.

I quickly braided my hair and rushed downstairs to see whether my mother and father had gotten ready, My father stood before me and patted my head, as my mother as usual rushed here and there trying to see whether the house was good before we left. My father's Mother and Father were sitting on the chairs on the veranda waving to me as we all went out the door into the taxi.

I sat in the car watching out the window thinking about the stark differences of all the states in India, we lived in Chennai for six months travelling from Chennai to other places in India, and then the other Six months in USA.

When we reached the temple I got down slowly making sure I was graceful, and not tomboyish as My mother was giving me talks on how I should be more womanly from now on…etc..

I went inside the temple paid my respects to the deities and taking my mothers permission slowly sneaked out and got some Puliyogare (savory tamarind rice) Prasada (food offered to the deities) before it got over, and as I was turning around I saw some boys were staring at me, I quickly made my face grave and walked away thinking they would stop, but one of them just smirked and I felt some bad feeling in me.

I wanted to tell my dad but did not want to create a scene in the temple so I went and stood back in the line with my Parents. My mother and father told me to go and get some Thayir Sadam ( Curd Rice) as well, I refused because I did not want to see those guys again, but obviously they did not know about that reason so my mom started off complaining about how shy I was and how I should become bold… and I was forced to get up and go back to the Prasada distribution area. I kept my hands forward and reached for some rice but before I could think one of the creepy guys put his hand before mine and lied to the priest saying that he was my Uncles son,I still remained silent hoping that he probably was not a creepy person like I had felt. He put the cup in my hand while slightly touching my fingers and then I knew that this persons motives were very wrong. I told them in Tamil to go outside as I would like to talk to them, I knew that they would comply as they seemed a bit foolish. I saw a wooden stick to the side and took along with me in case my words did not work. I told them sternly that I was very young, and they should be very careful as I could have complained and cause a racket, I also made sure I touched there heart by using the example of "would you behave incoherently with your sister if she was beautiful"..but these fools just laughed and one of them said "Look, madam you are young that is why we like you, just see how nicely we all will take care of you. I can make you a queen, you will have the best of your life, then teach our kids all this..I am smart and an adult. I do not need young girls to teach me!" I got angry and shouted at them, wondering why some men never understood the value of a woman, and through respecting others you get respected, not like this!

They started inching closer to me and I found myself bumping against a wall, and I took out the stick I had stuck at the back of my saree, and struck one of them on the head and as they caught the other I ran away while pick up some stones.. but due to my confused nature at that moment instead of running back in the temple I ran outside, and by the time I ran I found my self in a woody area possibly behind the temple,I thought to myself " HP, you are really in soup now" Oh, it was already 8 o'clock and my parents would be so worried now!First of all I felt scared to be in this area as I knew lots of snakes would be there, second of all it was dark and I was not able to see anything properly, and third, those men were after me.

I felt something rustling in the bushes and I clenched my necklace, tightly shutting my eyes.

AUTHORS NOTE

OK! First chapter done, the next one will be from her Guys POV .. 😉 and guys please tell me what is lacking, though this is only the beginning. Btw, if you guys like can you ascertain some TV characters for the characters roles?

And also, I wrote this story on wattpad,so It is my work only, I haven't copied another persons work.

Thanks a lot, I am working on the next chapter, probably by the 23rd of Feb or maybe if I find time before that I will post it. I am so glad you guys like my story. Currently as you have seen, Haripriya is only 16, so I will add a leap in the third chapter, because she is still a ‘child’ according to the law, and I want a solid and mature love story with adult characters, and obviously a married couple. And, your support really means a lot to me! 🙂

Hayathi- Yup, she is pretty cool, but I created her character as a much braver person than I would be, because I would never ever be able to stand up for myself even in such a small way, so Haripriyas character inspires me to be brave.
Ananya- Thank you !
Zayn- I don’t believe my story is a ff, because I still don’t know what TV characters I should incorporate in my story. But, Thank you.
Advaita- Thank you!
Sara- Thank you!
Aasha- Thank you very much, I am glad you are able to relate with the situations Haripriya goes through. Btw, what is fen cbe?
Swara- Thank you!

Thank You all very much.
I will continue this story, and may put the next chapter by the 23rd/24th Feb.
You support means a lot, and I am happy that some of you are able to relate with Haripriya.
Btw, Swara, what does fen cbe mean?